A continuing problem in the manipulation of digital images has been the size of the images relative to the capacity of the infrastructure required to manipulate those images. This particularly relates to bandwidth of network connections, but also relates to such things as the speed of connected communication ports of cameras and computers. This problem has led to digital camera users physically transferring removable memory elements to obtain photofinishing. This has the inconveniences of transferring film and, unlike photographic film, in many cases also risks damage or loss to an expensive memory element. This risk is resolved by some hybrid cameras which allow for the transfer of archival images in a film unit and at the same time provide immediate image review and electronic image downloading. In hybrid cameras, electronic images can be limited to a lower resolution than corresponding archival images so as to increase the speed of downloading. This is helpful, but further reductions in the time required for downloading are desirable.
Hybrid electronic-film cameras allow photographers to capture scene images (the light images of particular scenes) as latent images on photographic film and as electronic images that are digitized and stored in memory. Metadata corresponding to the images is also written to the memory and film. Metadata can include designations of geometric formats to be used in photofinishing of the film. The electronic images are retained in the memory until being overwritten or being removed, such as by withdrawal of a removable memory unit. The electronic images are made available for use by downloading into a computer or other device. The photographer is generally allowed to view electronic images in the memory of the camera.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,978,016 and 5,845,166 the hybrid cameras have a hybrid capture mode, in which a captured electronic image is initially stored as a “working image” in an aspect ratio matching that of a concurrent film image. Each electronic image is then transferred to another memory for storage in an aspect ratio matching the corresponding film frame. The aspect ratios correspond to the C, H, and P print formats of APS film and the C and P aspect ratio electronic images are cropped in the same manner as APS film images. The cropped electronic images save space in memory, but still match the format of the corresponding film frames of a film unit loaded in the camera.
The C, H, and P print formats of APS film can be recorded on a respective APS film unit as magnetically recorded metadata on a layer of the filmstrip. APS cameras are available that allow some magnetically recorded metadata for an image to be changed after capture of that image. For example, the number of prints wanted can be changed or set to zero.
It would thus be desirable to provide improved cameras and methods in which download times are reduced and downloaded images are like corresponding photofinished images.